When launching a new car, automakers often emphasize its more glamorous features—larger screens, advanced technology, and impressive power output. Yet, this focus frequently overlooks a crucial element of any vehicle: the tires. The extensive collaboration between car manufacturers and tire companies in developing the perfect tires is often overshadowed, despite their importance as the only point of contact between the car and the road.
This is particularly true for performance vehicles. Notable partnerships, such as Michelin and Porsche for the 911, Yokohama and Mazda for the Miata, and Continental and Mercedes for AMG models, highlight the significance of tailored tire design. These collaborations typically aim to create specific compounds for high-speed driving or track performance.
However, the realm of winter tire technology has seen fewer such collaborations. Pirelli and BMW are aiming to change this narrative with the co-development of the new 20-inch P Zero Winter 2 tire.
This innovative tire has been meticulously crafted for the BMW 7-Series and i7 models and will be available for other BMW models, starting with the X3 in the latter half of the year. The P Zero Winter 2 is designed to excel in winter driving conditions, offering exceptional performance on wet and snowy roads.
Moreover, the tire’s design also emphasizes low rolling resistance, a critical feature for electric vehicles. With an “A class” rating for rolling resistance, it is claimed that the tire can extend the range of the BMW i7 by up to 31 miles (50 kilometers) compared to conventional winter tires.
The Pirelli P Zero Winter 2 bears BMW’s specific Star-Mark certification, indicating it meets the high-performance and safety standards set by the German automaker. This certification is also found on other high-performance tires, such as the Michelin Pilot Sport 4S*, a BMW-approved variant of the Pilot Sport 4S.
Sustainability has been a key focus in the development of the P Zero Winter 2. Both BMW and Pirelli are committed to using renewable materials wherever possible and have worked to reduce the CO2 footprint of their manufacturing processes.
As automakers and tire manufacturers continue to innovate, such collaborations highlight the critical importance of tire technology in enhancing vehicle performance, safety, and sustainability.
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